Wildland firefighters fight and extinguish forest fires within our state and other states throughout the nation. There are three main types of wildland firefighters: forestry technicians, inter-regional hotshot crew members, and smokejumpers. Forestry technicians supervise and participate in the technical forestry work along with the construction, operation, and preservation of forestry facilities and equipment. Hotshots are a crew of twenty that work to mop up after a fire, build, and widen firelines. Smokejumpers actually parachute into areas that are remote in order to fight wildland fires.
Fighting Wildfires
In order to fight wildfires, forestry technicians, hotshots, and smokejumpers must all work together. First, a fireline is built by stripping the land of brush and debris. Then, hotshots and smokejumpers clear a large path in a big circle around the fire so the blaze is contained in a ring of dirt. When the fire reaches the area, it runs out of fuel and starves to death. If, however, the fire is too big, planes must drop chemicals from the sky to smother the flames.
Education/Requirements
Initial educational requirements range from a high school diploma to a four-year degree. Then, a potential wildland firefighter is required to undertake formal, professional training, including a strenuous fitness test. After completion of the required training, the firefighter is issued a Red Card stating their qualifications.
Work Hours/Salary
Jobs are seasonal and wildland firefighters usually work long, hard hours, averaging 12-14 hours a day sometimes for two weeks straight! Pay periods are bi-weekly. According to the US Bureau of Labor, statistics show that firefighters in general earned a median annual income of $41,190 in 2006 with the highest ten percents earning more than $66,140. In 2007, pay for seasonal workers ranged from $10.94 to $13.40 per hour. However, education and experience ultimately determine actual pay.
Agencies/Company Info
The largest wildland firefighting agencies are the US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Other agencies that hire wildland firefighters in smaller numbers include the National Park Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and state parks.
Current Job Availability
Job opportunities for firefighters in general are anticipated to grow at an average rate during the next ten years. However, since federal agencies manage wildfires, hiring may be dependent on the availability of federal funding.
Tools of the Trade
Wildland firefighters use a variety of equipments but some of the most important would be their protective fire retardant gear and a tool known as a pulaski. A pulaski is a combination of an axe and a hoe and it is used to dig firelines. Firefighters are also required to have a Class C driver's liscence to drive the numerous vehicles.
Day in the Life
"Wildland firefighters are likely to find that they are in a remote forested area working with teams of firefighters in an attempt to contain, redirect or hopefully, control a wildfire in a forest. The work is often very intense physically and mentally. Wildland firefighters find themselves in situations where they may be attempting to save entire small communities or even small towns or cities."
Wildland Firefighter
By: Shay Karenke
What is a Wildland Firefighter?
Wildland firefighters fight and extinguish forest fires within our state and other statesthroughout the nation. There are three
main types of wildland firefighters: forestry
technicians, inter-regional hotshot crew members,
and smokejumpers. Forestry technicians supervise
and participate in the technical forestry work
along with the construction, operation, and
preservation of forestry facilities and equipment.
Hotshots are a crew of twenty that work to mop
up after a fire, build, and widen firelines.
Smokejumpers actually parachute into areas
that are remote in order to fight wildland fires.
Fighting Wildfires
In order to fight wildfires, forestry technicians, hotshots, and smokejumpers must all work together. First, a fireline is built by stripping the land of brush and debris. Then, hotshots and smokejumpers clear a large path in a big circle around the fire so the blaze is contained in a ring of dirt. When the fire reaches the area, it runs out of fuel and starves to death. If, however, the fire is too big, planes must drop chEducation/Requirements
Initial educational requirements range from a high schooldiploma to a four-year degree. Then, a potential wildland
firefighter is required to undertake formal, professional
training, including a strenuous fitness test. After completion
of the required training, the firefighter is issued a Red Card
stating their qualifications.
Work Hours/Salary
Jobs are seasonal and wildland firefighters usually work long, hard hours, averaging 12-14 hours a day sometimes for two weeks straight! Pay periods are bi-weekly. According to the US Bureau of Labor, statistics show that firefighters in general earned a median annual income of $41,190 in 2006 with the highest ten percents earning more than $66,140. In 2007, pay for seasonal workers ranged from $10.94 to $13.40 per hour. However, education and experience ultimately determine actual pay.Agencies/Company Info
The largest wildland firefighting agencies are the US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Other agencies that hire wildland firefighters in smaller numbers include the National Park Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and state parks.Current Job Availability
Job opportunities for firefighters in general are anticipated to grow at an average rate during the next ten years. However, since federal agencies manage wildfires, hiring may be dependent on the availability of federal funding.
Tools of the Trade
Wildland firefighters use a variety of equipments but some of the most important would be their protective fire retardant gear and a tool known as a pulaski. A pulaski is a combination of an axe and a hoe and it is used to dig firelines. Firefighters are also required to have a Class C driver's liscence to drive the numerous vehicles.Day in the Life
"Wildland firefighters are likely to find that they are in a remote forested area working with teams of firefighters in an attempt to contain, redirect or hopefully, control a wildfire in a forest. The work is often very intense physically and mentally. Wildland firefighters find themselves in situations where they may be attempting to save entire small communities or even small towns or cities."Sources
www.jobmonkey.comwww.bls.gov
www.diplomaguide.com
www.wildlandfire.com
www.careersearch.com
www.google.com (images)